DNA sequencing is driving genomics research and discovery. The completion of the Human Genome Project was a monumental achievement involving an incredible amount of combined efforts among genome centers and scientists worldwide. This decade-long project was completed using the Sanger sequencing method to determine the order of the four nucleotide bases-adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine—in molecules of DNA. This method remains the staple genome sequencing methodology in high-throughput genome sequencing centers. In addition, many “next-generation” sequencing platforms have been established as practical alternatives to the Sanger method and are in wide use. These include sequencing-by-synthesis (SBS) approaches such as pyrosequencing (Ronaghi et al. (1998) Science 281: 363-365), sequencing of single DNA molecules (Braslaysky et al. (2003) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 100: 3960-3964), and polymerase colonies (“polony” sequencing) (Mitra et al. (2003) Anal. Biochem. 320: 55-65). While the fundamental technologies of the various extant and nascent sequencing methods may differ greatly, conventional sequencing methods share the feature of providing a sequence in terms of the four nucleotide bases adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine (or, in RNA, uracil).